asked the Prime Minister whether, pursuant to her reply of 28 April, Her Majesty's Government will press for the removal by South Korea of the reinforced concrete barrier which stretches for over 200km along the 38th parellel as a contribution to efforts to achieve the peaceful reunification of Korea.

No. Concrete obstacles are in place both North and South of the Demilitarised Zone. Her Majesty's Government strongly support initiatives made by South Korea towards contacts between both sides leading to peaceful reunification and rendering such barriers unnecessary.

asked the Prime Minister whether she signs in her own handwriting all letters to hon. Members.

I sign all letters that I write to hon. Members in my own handwriting.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) on 12 April, Official Report, c. 670, on the subject of value-for-money audits in the nationlised industries, in view of the negativing of the Government's proposed new clauses in committee, if she will make non-statutory arrangements for value-for-money audit to be carried out.

The Government consider that it is important that value-for-money audits should be carried out and will be considering with the industries how to make the best use of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any evidence that salmon are adapting successfully to waters where the pH value has been lowered as a result of acid rain; and what information he has as to the waters in Scotland where the populations of such fish are known to have been affected by the increasing acidity of the water.

There is no evidence of the degree of acidity in any of the major rivers in Scotland having reached a level where the salmon population would be likely to be affected. Scientists from my Department are continuing their investigations into the effect of acidification on Scottish freshwater systems.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the literature and posters made available by his Department which are written in ethnic minority languages; which minority languages are employed for this purpose; whether each document is also published in English in every case; what is the total cost of this documentation to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

None since 1973, when two posters on voting rights were produced in English and Urdu at a cost of £300.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he has for consultations with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations on matters of concern to housing associations in Scotland.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations is consulted regularly by my Department on matters affecting the interests of housing associations. Meetings are arranged from time to time to discuss particular topics. I have myself met a delegation from the federation as recently as 14 January and have accepted its invitation to speak at the opening of its annual conference at Erskine on 10 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West, Official Report, 22 March c. 365, whether he expects publication of the research study into the processing of sexual assaults to be delayed; and for what reason or reasons.

The research study into the processing of cases of sexual assault is being prepared for printing and publication. I cannot yet say how long that will take, but there will be no avoidable delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which subjects in secondary schools in Scotland presently experience shortages of staff; and if he will, in particular, give figures showing the present demand and supply position for teachers in technical subjects in Strathclyde.

The latest available information about shortages of teachers by subject is contained in the Scottish Education Department's Statistical Bulletin No. 7/C1/1982 of July 1982, a copy of which was sent to the hon. Member. At the beginning of the current session about 300 students were taking courses leading to a teaching qualification (secondary education) in technical education, of whom about 120 were in their final year; the comparable figures for Jordanhill college of education are 180 and 80. These numbers are expected to be adequate to meet likely demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Lothian region joint trade union committee on the Lothian region budget for 1983–84; and if he will agree to meet it.

I have received a request from the secretary of the Lothian region joint trade union committee asking for a meeting with me on the subject of Lothian regional council's budget for 1983–84. A reply was sent on my behalf on 4 May saying that I could not agree to its request for a meeting. I am sending a copy of that reply to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he has anything to add to the answer given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 21 December 1982, Official Report, c. 503–8, relating to allegations made by Larsen Sweeney Limited against British civil servants.

Larsen Sweeney Publications Limited originally sought publicity for allegations of this kind in a press release in September 1982. As my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury explained in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Brown, on 21 December, the Government immediately approached the firm and asked it to provide the evidence which it said it had, in order that the Government could investigate the allegations and establish the true facts. In subsequent correspondence and interviews the Government repeated this request again and again. In response, Larsen Sweeney Publications Limited has produced denials, excuses, and promises to let the Government see such evidence

"as soon as it is available".

However, some eight months after its initial press release, the firm has produced not one jot of evidence to substantiate its allegations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider seeking to change the name of the Bank of England to the Bank of Britain.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his written answer of 27 April, Official Report, c. 322–3, if the difference between the 4 per cent. and 3·5 per cent. settlement for different groups of civil servants is accounted for by the average value of increments to those who have not reached the scale maximum.

No. In fact, after taking account of this year's award the average value of increments to those who have not reached the scale maximum is about 5·8 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest position regarding the draft proposals of the European Community Commission to phase out zero rating of value added tax; and whether he will give an assurance that any such proposals will be opposed by Her Majesty's Government.

The European Community's sixth directive on VAT requires the Council to review zero-rates every five years. The Commission's report represents the first stage in this review, and is not a formal proposal for action. If the Commission decided, after assessing member states' reactions to its report, to put forward such a proposal it would require unanimity in the Council of Ministers in order to put it into effect. The Government have always made it clear that they see zero-rates as an integral part of our VAT system and will take every opportunity to impress this upon the Commission and our Community partners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Civil Service pensioners are affected by the half-reckoning rule for unestablished service before 14 July 1949; and how many current civil servants will be affected by the rule on retirement.

Detailed statistics are not readily available but it is estimated that 150,000 pensioners, including widows, and 50,000 serving civil servants are affected.

asked the Chancellor of the Excheqer if he will estimate (a) the amount of income tax deferred from 1982–83 to 1983–84 as a result of the Inland Revenue discontinuing the adjustment of pay-as-you-earn codes for mortgage interest relief on changes in the rate of interest and (b) the number of taxpayers affected.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement on the number and location of free ports he is proposing to authorise consequent upon his Budget statement.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the rates of duty, or other taxation, imposed on domestically produced wine in each European Community country.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has laid down criteria on which the Commonwealth Development Corporation will decide whether the safeguards negotiated in relation to its investment in NGPI, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, the Philippines, are being satisafactorily implemented.

The criteria to be applied are reflected in the nature of the undertakings which have been secured by the Commonwealth Development Corporation from NDC and NGPI. I refer the hon. Member to my speech in the debate on 19 January—[Vol. 35, c. 462]. It is for the CDC to satisfy itself on the observance of these undertakings. I have, however, asked the corporation to keep me informed of progress.

asked the Attorney-General how many claims have been made in each year since 1978 for damages for industrial injuries arising from exposure to dangerous levels of noise at work; and how many and what percentage of such claims have been successful in each year.

No distinction is drawn in the statistics collected between different types of personal injuries for which claims are made. For this reason, it is regretted that the information sought by the hon. and learned Member cannot be made available without disproportionate expense. Estimated figures of total proceedings commenced claiming damages for personal injuries in the High Court and county courts for each year from 1974 to 1982 were given in answer to the hon. and learned Member's question on 25 March 1983.—[Vol. 40, c. 508–9].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make available to both the defence and to the prosecution in a criminal case the services of the Home Office forensic laboratories.

It is already the practice for the results of examinations by Home office forensic science laboratories to be made available both to the prosecution and the defence. In addition, arrangements exist whereby the services of the laboratories are made available via the police for the examination of specimens on behalf of the defence. The results of such examinations are also made known to both sides.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals to license or control the sale of replica firearms.

The Firearms Act 1982, when it comes into operation, will subject imitation firearms which are capable of being readily converted to fire live ammunition to the same stringent controls as actual firearms. I hope to be in a position to make a commencement order in respect of this Act fairly soon. I announced my conclusions on the control of replica firearms generally, following a review of this matter, in a reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths) on 8 April, 1982.—[Vol. 21, c. 424–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers, sexes, nationalities, locations and lengths of detention of all those in detention at the latest available date who have requested political asylum.

Of those detained on 4 May 1983, seven were men who were either seeking entry to the United Kingdom or were illegal entrants, and who had applied for asylum. The further details requested about these cases are as follows:

Nationality	Location	Length of detention
(Passengers seeking entry to the United Kingdom)
Ghanaian	Harmondsworth	since 23 April 1983
Iranian	Ashford remand centre.	since 30 April 1983
Nationality doubtful	Risley remand centre	since 2 May 1983
Ugandan	Wandsworth prison	since 10 October 1982
(serving term of imprisonment for Customs offences)
(Illegal entrants)
South African	Manchester prison	since 30 May 1983
Bangladeshi	Cardiff prison	since 7 April 1983
Sri Lankan	Ashford remand centre	since 10 December 1982

In addition, some of those detained as the subject of deportation procedures may have requested asylum, but I regret that information on the number of such persons is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers, sexes and nationalities of those held in detention in the last year for which figures are available who had requested political asylum.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the literature and posters made available by his Department which are written in ethnic minority languages; which minority languages are employed for this purpose; whether each document is also published in English in every case; what is the total cost of this documentation to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet reached any conclusion about the central collection of statistics of persons detained by the police under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1959.

I have nothing further to add as yet to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 24 March.—[Vol. 39, c. 482.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the anti-burglary equipment made in Her Majesty's prisons carries a guarantee; whether the test upon which any guarantee is based is carried out by prison staff or by the prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

The anti-burglary equipment made in prison workshops is limited to the manufacture, under subcontract to a private firm, of wood boxes into which burglar alarms are subsequently installed by the firm concerned. No question of a guarantee for the work done in prison workshops arises; neither prisoners nor staff are in any way involved with production or installation of the actual alarms.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to amend regulations relating to grants for mature students to attend university or further education colleges in order to ensure that when these students are originally from overseas but now permanently resident with their families in the United Kingdom the family do not lose their subsistence because of the breadwinner's attendance at such a college.

A mature student who is eligible for a mandatory award will, if he satisfies the relevant conditions, receive an enhanced rate of grant and the appropriate allowances for any dependants he may have. A student who is not eligible for a mandatory award may attract a discretionary award from his local education authority. The level at which their discretionary awards are paid is a matter for individual LEAs to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the literature and posters made available by his Department which are written in ethnic minority languages; which minority languages are employed for this purpose; whether each document is also published in English in every case; what is the total cost of this documentation to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

None is made available by the Department. Local education authorities are, however, free to issue material in ethnic minority languages, in the light of their personal local needs and circumstances.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions illegal burning of moorland was recorded in each of the past 10 years in England.

I regret that the information requested is not available. I understand, however, from my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that records which are available to him but which may be incomplete show that the following number of defendents were proceeded against in magistrates' courts for burning heather or grass without a licence, which is contrary to regulations made under section 20 of the Hill Farming Act 1946.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made any assessment of the possible effects on crop yields of restricting the use of nitrate-containing fertilisers, in order to reduce the level of the nitrate concentration in field run-off and hence public water supplies.

An assessment was made for the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution of the effects of halving nitrogen fertiliser use in East Anglia. The conclusions are given in the seventh report of the Commission, paragraphs 4.60 and 4.61.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received written representation asking him to make giant hogweed a notifiable weed since the publication of the recent paper by Williams and Forbes arguing that it harbours fungus which attacks a wide range of crops; and whether he has given further consideration to the matter.

Since the publication of the paper by Williamson and Forbes, I have received written representations from one source asking me to make Giant Hogweed a scheduled weed under the Weeds Act 1959. Although the Giant Hogweed does act a a host to the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, this is a very common organism which is found on a whole range of wild plants. I cannot therefore add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on 1 December 1982. [Vol. 33, c. 175.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what have been the United Kingdom's receipts under each head of expenditure by the European Coal and Steel Community in each year since 1973; and if he will provide a regional breakdown for total receipts under each expenditure head where this is appropriate.

United Kingdom allocations of ECSC loans and grants are shown below. Regional figures are not available where allocations are made at national levels:

United Kingdom allocations of ECSC loans and grants
£ million
	Article 54 Industry loans	Article 56 Reconversion loans*	Interest rebates	Housing loans†	Article 55 R & D grants	Article 56 Readaptation grants‡
1973	—	—	—	0·6	0·5	0·3
1974	48	15	0·9	1·6	1·7	1·2
1975	150	31	2·3	2·2	2·1	5·8
1976	346	9	1·6	1·0	3·6	4·8
1977	134	1	0·6	2·0	5·5	5·8
1978	187	83	5·5	1·5	5·6	6·6
1979	151	59	6·2	2·7	3·8	16·3
1980	150	92	8·6	1·3	6·7	23·1
1981	30	92	9·7	1·3	5·7	41·7
1982	68	51	7·2	1·8	5·8	61·2
Notes
* Reconversion loans are given to projects employing redundant coal and steel workers.
† Steel housing loan programmes averaged over each year covered.
‡ Readaptation grants are given to ECSC workers made redundant by closures.

Regional breakdown of ECSC loans and grants 1973–1982
£ million
	Readaptation grants (steel only)	Reconversion loans	Steel industry loans
East Midlands	7	10	—
West Midlands	14	3	13
North	12	30	194
North West	8	13	2
South East	9	—	1
Yorkshire and Humberside	33	2	110
Scotland	7	55	77
Wales	44	221	78

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms involved in the manufacturing of computers or the production of computer software are located in each of the main regions of the United Kingdom; and if he has information about the numbers located (a) in major urban areas and (b) in small towns or rural areas.

Information in the form requested is not held centrally by the Department of Industry. My hon. Friend may find the Computer Users' Yearbook (published by Computing Publications Ltd.) a useful source of the names and addresses of hardward manufacturers and software houses in the United Kingdom.If there is any specific point on which I can be of help to my hon. Friend, I would be pleased to do so if he were to write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the percentage average of manufacturing output in 1982 compares with the 1979 average.

The latest information on the index of manufacturing output was published in the 29 April 1983 edition of British Business.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report the literature and posters made available by his Department which are written in ethnic minority languages; which minority languages are employed for this purpose; whether each document is also published in English in every case; what is the total cost of this documentation to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

In autumn 1982 we advertised aspects of the Department's small firms services in Akhbar-E-Watan and the Weekly Gleaner. Urdu was used in one and English in the other. The total cost to public funds: £1,958.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is taken to control or limit cruelty to animals in the kitchens and restaurants of Hong Kong.

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance prohibits any form of cruelty to animals in general in Hong Kong. Restaurants, slaughterhouses, pet shops and other animal trading premises are regularly visited by Government officials to ensure among other things, that animals are not treated with cruelty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of recent admissions of the Argentine junta concerning responsibility for up to 30,000 persons who disappeared in Argentina after the military takeover in 1976, and the evidence in the possession of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and Amnesty International that great numbers of such persons were tortured and murdered by the security forces and that these included British and other European Community citizens, he will now reconsider his decision not to co-ordinate action with other Community countries to insist on an accounting for these crimes, punishment of those responsible and appropriate reparation for the relatives.

The presidency spokesman issued a joint statement in Bonn on 6 May on behalf of all member states of the European Community, including, of course, the United Kingdom, stressing that the question of human rights in Argentina and the fate of the missing people was of central importance. The statement added that the document issued by the military junta on 28 April was neither a sufficient nor final answer to the numerous representations to the Argentine Government made by member states of the Community asking for clarification of the fate of missing people, and that the member states therefore continued to urge the Argentine Government to give satisfactory clarification.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the draft final document prepared by the neutral and non-aligned countries for the conference on security and co-operation in Europe in Madrid; and if he will publish a statement of this policy as a White Paper with the text of the draft document attached.

The Government regard this draft as a useful basis on which to negotiate the concluding document for Madrid. However, in our view it requires certain improvements. In concert with our allies, we have responded to the draft in discussion with other participating states.The draft is an internal document of the conference, tabled by a group of neutral and non-aligned countries, who have not made it public. In these circumstances we are not at liberty to publish the text.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on negotiations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Brunei.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State visited Brunei from 14 to 17 April to discuss with the Sultan the detailed arrangements for defence co-operation between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Brunei after Brunei resumes full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent state at the end of this year. Although substantial progress was made it was not possible to resolve all the outstanding issues in the time available and the talks were adjourned. Contact is being maintained through the diplomatic channel.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, when the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) met Mr. Khaddoumi in Tunisia, he raised with him his public statement that the Palestine Liberation Organisation would never allow Israel to live in peace and would never recognise Israel; and what response he received.

I raised with Mr. Khaddoumi the attitude of the PLO towards negotiations with Israel, and in particular gave our view that the PLO was making a grave mistake if it finally rejected the opportunity for negotiation offered by President Reagan's plan. Mr. Khaddoumi reminded me that the PLO has accepted the conclusions of the Fez summit which inter alia called on the Security Council to

`guarantee peace among all states of the region, including the independent Palestinian state',

and said that it was difficult for the PLO to go further when the Government of Israel showed no sign of recognising the rights of the Palestinians to self-determination.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion on which the case of Raoul Wallenberg was raised with the Soviet authorities.

I raised the case of Mr. Wallenberg during my meeting in Moscow on 25 April with the Soviet First Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Kornienko.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the visit of the Under-Secretary of State to the Soviet Union; what representations were made regarding disappointing progress by the Soviet Union in permitting emigration of Jews or other failures to implement the Helsinki final act; and whether any further ministerial visits are planned to Warsaw pact countries by Ministers during 1983.

I visited the Soviet Union from 24 to 29 April for political consultations with the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I had talks in Moscow on 25 to 27 April with the Soviet First Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Kornienko, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Ryzhov. The major part of the discussions focussed on international issues including arms control, Afghanistan and Poland. I reiterated our concern at the Soviet human rights performance and raised a number of individual cases. These included Raoul Wallenberg and Anatoly Shcharansky and others refused permision to leave the Soviet Union. Several further ministerial visits to Eastern European countries are currently under consideration.

asked the Lord President of the Council what consultants were approached in connection with designing the new layout for the Members' Canteen and the Strangers' Cafeteria; and if he is satisfied with the equipment supplied and the results being achieved.

I have been asked to reply.The Property Services Agency is responsible for carrying out major works in the Refreshment Department, and it approved the design of the layout, which took account of the limited space available. Four manufacturers were contacted about equipment, and the choice was made in consultation with the catering manager and Sub-Committee. The Catering Sub-Committee is satisfied with the results obtained and also with the layout and the equipment, especially since minor problems inevitable with new equipment have been resolved.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will consider seeking to acquire Thames House South to provide office accommodation for each hon. Member.

No.

asked the Minister for Trade why he has referred the bid by GFI/Knoll for Sotheby's to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

My right hon. and noble Friend considered that the future of the London Art market, and the role of the enterprises principally involved in it, were issues of sufficient importance to justify a reference of this merger to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

asked the Minister for Trade what representations he has received from, and what discussions he has had with, local authorities concerning public funding of citizens advice bureaux.

I have received a number of representations from local authorities, the great majority of which I am pleased to say express full confidence, as I have done myself, in the efficiency and impartiality of the local bureaux. These have not been discussed with the authorities concerned, but I made the Government's position on bureau funding completely clear in the House on 22 and 27 April.

asked the Minister for Trade, further to his reply dated 17 March, Official Report, c. 210–11, concerning trade in cars with other European Community countries, whether he will publish in the Offical Report a table showing the number of cars imported and exported, together with the corresponding figures for 1970.

The available information is as follows:

	Sales in the United Kingdom of cars sourced by American firms† from the EC Six (numbers)	Exports to the EC Six of cars manufactured in the United Kingdom by American firms† (numbers)
1970	7,854	N/A
1976	81,163	22,492
1977	134,963	33,662

asked the Minister for Trade how many general inspections of vessels were carried out in the river Clyde area in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the volume of shipping traffic on the Clyde during the same period.

Marine surveyors of my Department carried out 104 general inspections of vessels in the river Clyde area (including Ayr and Troon) in 1982. During this period the respective harbour authorities recorded 586 visits by foreign-going ships in the Clyde river and 682 visits by dry cargo ships to Ayr and Troon. These figures include repeat visits by the same ships.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has come to a decision about the proposed privatisation of part of the functions of the companies registration office.

I am now considering the representations which have been received and expect to be able to make a statement before long.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed takeover of Davenports, the brewers, by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries.

My right hon. and noble Friend announced on 20 April his decision not to refer this merger to the commission.

asked the Minister for Trade to what extent coastal shipping in each of the EC countries is closed to United Kingdom vessels; and whether he is satisfied that the reservation of such trade to national carriers is in accordance with the provisions of nondiscrimination in the treaty of Rome.

There are no restrictions on the access of United Kingdom vessels to the coastal trades of Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom itself. In Denmark, the coastal trade, where conducted by vessels of under 500 grt, is closed to United Kingdom vessels, but exemptions are granted by the Danish authorities in cases where cargo is moved between Danish ports on a national leg forming part of an international voyage, or where there is an intervening call at a non-Danish port. The coastal trades of France, Germany, Greece and Italy are closed to United Kingdom vessels.The Government have always taken the view that any restriction on access to cargoes, which is based on grounds of nationality, is clearly contrary to the non-discrimination spirit of the EEC Treaty of Rome. The non-discrimination provisions of the Transport Title of the treaty apply only to transport by rail, road and inland waterway; they do not apply to transport by sea and air. But the Government are still considering whether restrictions on access to coastal trades might be contrary to other provisions of the Treaty.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on his programme for privatising the Civil Aviation Authority's aerodromes in Scotland; whether any local authorities have shown interest in acquiring a part interest in any aerodromes; and whether he would be prepared to consider offers for the whole or part interest in any aerodrome from an airline.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table showing the annual permitted quotas of tariff-free imports of various categories of steel products into the United Kingdom from Yugoslavia and into each other member state of the Community prior to enforcement of the EC bilateral agreement (83/ECSC—OJ No. 41) on 1 April; and if he will provide a separate table showing the revised annual national quotas for each product and category as from 1 April.

[pursuant to the reply, 3 May 1983, c. 3]: The information requested by my hon. Friend is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the future of the British National Oil Corporation.

BNOC will continue to pursue its objectives of contributing to the security of United Kingdom oil supplies and ensuring that the United Kingdom receives the maximum benefit from oil available under participation agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many oil rigs for use in the North sea have been constructed in the United Kingdom in the most recent five years for which figures are available.

Seven mobile semi-submersible and jack-up rigs have been built, or are currently under construction, in United Kingdom shipyards for use on the United Kingdom continental shelf. Seventeen steel and concrete platforms have also been constructed in British yards in the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the effectiveness of the types of measures being taken to increase the conservation of energy in buildings such as hospitals and schools.

It is estimated that energy consumption in hospitals has been effectively reduced by 20 per cent. over the past 10 years. A recent survey indicates only small average savings in schools and other local authority buildings; and I am bringing the scope for savings to the attention of all local authority chief executives.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many authorised and working opencast sites there were on 31 March, excluding sites under contractual restoration.

At 31 March 1983 there were 55 authorised working opencast sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about his discussions with British Gas and the electricity supply industry over the cost of their advertising.

I have asked the industries for their recommendations for reductions in their advertising expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the level of oil exploration in the North sea.

Yes, I am very satisfied with the level of exploration for oil and gas which is currently taking place in the North sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the progress of the Government's energy conservation programme.

Yes. But it is clearly important that such resources as the Government do commit to the encouragement of economic energy saving should be used to the greatest effect, and in the most coherent way. It is precisely because I was not satisfied that this was the case at the present time that I invited Lord Rayner last year to set in motion a "Rayner scrutiny" of the organisation of the Government's effort in energy conservation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the development of substitute natural gas based on coal.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 31 January 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimates he has of the future supply of gas to the British Gas Corporation.

The future supply of gas to the British Gas Corporation will be determined by the ability of the corporation to obtain its requirements in a competitive market.

the Secretary of State for Energy when he now expects to respond to the fifth report from the Energy Committee on energy conservation in buildings, published on 10 June 1982.

I intend publishing the Government's response to the Select Committee's report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the transitional provisions envisaged by section 76 of the Transport Act 1982.

SI 1982 1804 makes transitional provisions in connection with section 64 of the Act. Transitional provisions will also be required in relation to section 52 and schedule 4 of the Act. I shall decide what provisions may be appropriate in the light of the consultations shortly to take place on the draft regulations implementing that section and schedule. Implementation of those other parts of the Act yet to be commenced may also require use of section 76 in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the high increase in casualties to pedal cyclists and moped users between 1981 and 1982, the Government will improve provision for these forms of transport.

The Government are already encouraging the provision of improved facilities for cyclists through technical advice and financial support. Whether such facilities should be made available for mopeds depends on local circumstances.Effective training can make an important contribution to the safety of both cyclists and moped riders. Cycle training for school children taked place through the RoSPA national cycling proficiency scheme. Moped training courses are widely available and we are looking afresh at ways in which 16 year old moped riders might be provided with a stronger incentive to take training.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what decision he has reached about the provision of private finance for road building; and whether he will publish the report on the subject commissioned from Charterhouse Japhet.

We have not yet reached a decision about the possible introduction of private finance for road building. The final report from Charterhouse Japhet is expected shortly, but it is too early to say whether it will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest estimate of road capital expenditure by local authorities in the financial year 1982–83.

The latest estimate of local authority road capital expenditure, based on the third quarter capital payment returns made by local authorities, is £301 million. The estimate shows an increase of £23 million on the earlier estimate which was included in the figure for all local roads (including those of development corporations) published in Cmnd. 8789.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the Government will be reviewing the law relating to the use of seat belts with regard to exemptions in the near future.

While I am closely monitoring the operation of the law, I have no plans at present to review the regulations before the review required by Parliament after a three-year period.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of contracts let for new motorway and trunk road construction with their total value at 1983 prices for every first quarter of the year from 1978 to 1983.

The information requested is as follows:

First quarter	Number of contracts let	Tender value at 1983 prices
		£ million
1978	4	52·4
1979	6	72·6
1980	5	32·2
1981	3	19·1
1982	3	5·9
1983	8	111·9

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals are currently being considered by the Commission of the European Community with regard to maximum lorry weight; if he will give details; and if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that any increase above the present 38 tonnes will be unacceptable.

The Commission's draft directive on lorry weights and dimensions continues to be discussed in the Council's working group on transport questions. We have made it clear that we cannot accept a maximum weight of more than 38 tonnes for vehicles using roads in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to publish the final Flint Neill report on the Severn bridge; if so, when; and if he will make a statement.

Yes: shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has now reviewed the tendering threshold for highway work for local authorities; and with what results.

Yes; we have reviewed the position on the basis of information provided by local highway authorities. The £50,000 tendering threshold, which was introduced on 1 October 1982, is leading to a welcome increase in competition for highway work between private contractors and direct labour organisations; that in turn will lead to net savings on highway work, taking into account the additional administrative cost of putting work out to tender.We therefore propose that, from 1 October 1983, 30 per cent. by value of highway work below the threshold of £50,000 should also be made subject to competitive tender. The change will, as before, involve some additional administrative costs which will be reflected in the agency fee which falls on the Department's vote.Initially, these could be of the order of up to £0·5 million, depending on a range of assumptions. Although we cannot yet forecast precisely the savings that will arise from this further increase in competition, we expect the savings to offset the costs in due course and the situation will be kept under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards membership of new town development corporation boards by (a) prospective parliamentary candidates and (b) parliamentary candidates; what steps he has taken to advise board members of his policy; and if he will make a statement.

There is no objection to prospective parliamentary candidates serving as members of new town development corporation boards. However, a member who is formally nominated as a candidate would be well advised to resign since, under the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, members of new town development corporation boards are disqualified from membership of the House of Commons and the election of a disqualified person is void. Board members have not been given general guidance on this subject, but individual members are advised when appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate of complete sales under the right-to-buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980 for both local authorities and new towns in England and Wales; what was the average price of each dwelling (a) before discount and (b) net of discount; how many dwellings were sold at full 50 per cent. discount; and what proportion of the price is estimated to have been received as an initial receipt.

Total completed sales under the right to buy by local authorities and new towns in England and Wales up to 31 December 1982 were 261,480.Information on prices and receipts for sales under the right to buy is not separately reported. For all local authority and new town sales, whether under the right to buy or the general consent and including sales of empty dwellings as well as to sitting tenants, the average sale price in England and Wales from October 1980 to December 1982 was £16,500 before discount and £9,700 after discount. The number sold at full 50 per cent. discount is not available.The average proportion of the sale price after discount, received as an initial receipt, was 45 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on how many occasions in each of the last five years the nitrate ion concentration in water abstracted from the river Ouse for use in the Bedford-Kempston area has exceeded (a) 50 mg per litre and (b) 100 mg per litre; and what specific steps are taken to reduce the level of nitrate ion concentrations in such water supplies.

The information requested is tabulated as follows:

	Nitrate level exceeding 50 mg per litre in the water abstracted from river Ouse
Year ending 31 March	Number of occasions	Number of days
1979	1	85
1980	2	7
1981	0	0
1982	3	9
1983	3	52

The nitrate level in the water abstracted from the river Ouse or the water put into supply did not exceed 100 mg per litre on any occasions. Before it is put into supply, nitrate levels from this source can be reduced by blending with small quantities of ground water and, after treatment at Clapham works, with treated water from Grafham works. Consequently water with nitrate levels exceeding 50 mg per litre was put into supply on 52 days in 1979, none in 1980, 1981 or 1982 and 35 days in 1983. The local health officer was notified on the occasions when the nitrate level in supply exceeded 50 mg per litre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of undeveloped derelict and developable land exist within the city boundaries of (a) Bristol and (b) Southampton

The register of unused and underused public land for Bristol and Southampton contain details of 79 sites covering 1,067 acres and 28 sites covering 85 acres respectively. Some, but not all, of these sites are derelict land capable of development.The last national survey in 1974 showed 17 acres of derelict land in Bristol and none in Southampton. The survey did not record detailed information about individual sites. Up to date information will be available when the analysis of the 1982 derelict land survey is completed and ready for publication later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals there have been to him against planning application decisions by Bolton metropolitan district council; and how many of these have been successful in each of the last four years.

I regret that the information requested is only available for 1982. The figures are being assembled and will be provided as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now able to report on the views of the Ordnance Survey Advisory Board on his proposals for a trading fund as part of a new financial structure for that organisation.

No. As indicated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill) on 22 March the matter has been referred to the Ordnance Survey Advisory Board and he expected to receive its views later in the year.—[Vol. 39, c. 406.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the costs to public funds of publishing the Property Services Agency annual report 1981–82; to whom copies have been circulated in addition to hon. Members; and at what cost to public funds.

The cost of publishing the copies of the PSA annual report for 623 hon. Members was £348·88.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost of publishing and printing the annual report 1981–82 of the Property Services Agency in his Department; how many copies were printed; and what was the total circulation.

The total cost of publishing and printing the PSA annual report 1981–82 was £22,000 for 39,000 copies, a unit cost of 56p a copy. It was circulated to Members of Parliament, clients of PSA, staff, contractors, consultants and professional institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number and percentage of properties within each local authority area in Yorkshire and Humberside which will have no inside toilet or bathroom.

The latest information relates to households present on census night and is in table 27 of the 1981 census county reports for the four counties in the region; copies are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position regarding the draft European Community Commission directive on harmonisation of building materials and components; when the first draft was publised; when it was last discussed by the Council of Ministers or by the Committee of Permanent Representatives; and whether it is proposed to take any further action on this matter.

The Government's view on the proposed European Community framework directive on construction products (78)449 remains as set out in the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction gave to my hon. Friend on Wednesday 1 December 1982 [Vol. 33, c. 210]. The Commission proposal was first published in the Community Official Journal for 23 December 1978. It has not yet been discussed by the Council of Ministers and was last discussed by the Committee of Permanent Representatives on 27 April 1983. Further action on the proposal rests with the current President of the Council, the Federal Republic of Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the literature and posters made available by his Department which are written in ethnic minority languages; which minority languages are employed for this purpose; whether each document is also published in English in every case; what is the total cost of this documentation to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

All literature and posters made available by my Department are written in English.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Merseyside.

I last visited Merseyside on 28 and 29 April 1983. I opened an annexe to the Liverpool college of further education, toured parts of Halton district and visited ICI Runcorn. I met elected members of Liverpool city council, members of Halton chamber of commerce, the editor of the Liverpool Echo and officials of my task force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the average council rent for 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82 and 1982–83.

For the years 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83 I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 10 February 1983 to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, East (Mr. Henderson) [Vol. 36, c. 459]. For 1978–79, the average unrebated rent charged by local authorities in England was £5·90 per dwelling per week.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of housing starts in (a) the public and (b) the private sectors for each year from 1974–75 to 1982–83 and estimates for 1983–84.

The number of dwellings started in England are as follows:

Thousands of dwellings
	Public sector	Private sector
1974–75	122·7	90·5
1975–76	154·3	136·3
1976–77	133·6	121·1
1977–78	113·2	119·1
1978–79	86·2	126·8
1979–80	69·3	122·6
1980–81	39·9	85·7
1981–82	35·9	104·5
1982–83*	46·3	128·7
* provisional.

My Department has made no estimates for 1983–84.